Total of 6 Calgary Stampede chuckwagon horses dead after 3 more put down Sunday

Three extra horses needed to be euthanized after taking place through the ultimate evening of the chuckwagon races on the Calgary Stampede, bringing the entire variety of horses that died throughout this 12 months’s occasion to 6.

Simply after 9 p.m. Sunday, a horse from Evan Salmond’s wagon went down throughout a flip in Warmth eight of the Rangeland Derby. A tarp was introduced out to cowl the world the place the incident occurred shortly afterward.

In response to a launch from the Stampede, the fitting lead horse of Salmond’s wagon fractured its left hind cannon bone whereas operating. Two different horses on the staff then additionally suffered accidents.

All of the horses acquired veterinary care on the monitor, however the medical staff decided they may not be handled, the organizers mentioned.

The three horses have been euthanized, mentioned the Stampede. In a press release, the group referred to as the state of affairs “challenging” and upsetting to each the Calgary Stampede and to the neighborhood.

Groups compete in a chuckwagon race on the Calgary Stampede in 2010. Six horses died on the 2019 Calgary Stampede. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press)

The Stampede additionally mentioned it’s “committed to initiating a thorough review process” round chuckwagon security, although the group mentioned it didn’t but know what that evaluation would seem like.

Similar driver misplaced one other horse earlier

Three horses had already died in chuckwagon races on this 12 months’s 10-day occasion.

Throughout Thursday’s Warmth 7, Salmond’s lead horse died after it hit a guard rail and stumbled to the bottom.

A evaluation of the incident decided that chuckwagon driver Chad Harden’s rig received in the way in which of one other driver, Danny Ringuette, inflicting the third wagon that belonged to Salmond to hit the rail.

Stampede officers slapped Harden with a $10,000 high quality and banned him from competing on this Calgary Stampede and future ones for his half within the incident, citing a zero-tolerance coverage for “preventable accidents and injuries.”

A disqualification from the rest of the Calgary Stampede means Harden will not be invited again to compete. He’ll, nevertheless, be permitted to use for reinstatement as early as Sept. 1.

Mike Whittle, a member of the unbiased chuckwagon security fee that reviewed the incident, mentioned it was the primary such ban he may keep in mind.

A Stampede spokesperson mentioned officers confirmed through microchips that the horses that died Sunday weren’t the identical horses concerned in Thursday’s crash.

After one other horse needed to be put down on July 11, chuckwagon driver Chad Harden was fined $10,000 and banned from competing within the Stampede and future ones. (CBC Sports activities)

Earlier within the week, two different horses died.

A horse on Obrey Motowylo’s wagon staff operating in Warmth 2 on Wednesday was put down after it suffered a damaged leg.

Final Monday, a horse belonging to 2012 Rangeland Derby winner Troy Dorchester died after struggling an inner medical concern that the Stampede says was not associated to racing.

The 14-year-old gelding had handed a medical analysis earlier than the race.

Calls renewed for finish to rodeo, races

Animal rights activists have been fast to resume their requires an finish to the rodeo and chuckwagon races on the Stampede.

Camille Labchuk, the group’s government director, mentioned in a press release that this 12 months’s Stampede was the deadliest one for animals in a decade, with a “level of carnage not seen since 2010.”

An evaluation by the Vancouver Humane Society signifies that 102 animals have died in Stampede occasions since 1986.

The video under reveals the chuckwagon race crash on July 12, which led to 1 horse having to be put down. Graphic warning: This video could also be disturbing to some viewers.

Warning: This video accommodates scenes some might discover tough to look at. A driver was fined and disqualified from the remainder of the Calgary Stampede after a horse died in a chuckwagon race Thursday. 1:36

No rodeo or chuckwagon participant or occasion has been prosecuted in Canada since 1950, Labchuk mentioned.

“Alberta law makes it illegal to inflict unreasonable distress on animals, and there are no exemptions for rodeos,” mentioned Labchuk.

“Nearly every single year, horses suffer horrific injuries and die in the ‘half mile of hell’ chuckwagon races. It is entirely foreseeable that these horses will experience distress and death, all for the trivial sake of entertainment.”

‘Free cross to kill animals’

The group is looking on legislation enforcement, together with the Calgary police, Calgary Humane Society and Alberta SPCA, to carry the issues earlier than the courts.

“Rodeo events are not above the law and should no longer be given a free pass to kill animals,” she mentioned.

The Calgary and Vancouver humane societies have additionally been crucial of chuckwagon races.

Advocating for extremes does not work.– Dr. David Chalack

Talking on CBC Calgary’s [email protected] on Monday, Vancouver Humane Society spokesperson Peter Fricker mentioned his group is looking on the Stampede to droop the races and convene an skilled panel to find out whether or not the game will be mounted.

“We’re willing to give the Stampede a chance to see if it could be made safer,” he mentioned.

Fricker mentioned the variety of rigs per race might be maybe be decreased, or the variety of horses per rig trimmed to only two.

However Dr. David Chalack, a veterinarian and former Stampede president, informed [email protected] that placing the chuckwagon races on maintain throughout a evaluation is just not warranted.

“There’s no reason to put it on pause,” he mentioned.

Chalack mentioned the Stampede has labored onerous to include ever extra risk-mitigation measures and grow to be extra inclusive of outdoor experience and factors of view.

He mentioned throughout his tenure, rodeo and chuckwagon officers labored collaboratively with the Calgary Humane Society, one thing he suspects is not potential within the case of the Vancouver Humane Society.

“Advocating for extremes doesn’t work,” he mentioned.

This graph tallies animal deaths, by 12 months, on the Stampede. Use the drop-down menu to see the info by animal sort:

This is an general roundup of animal deaths on the Stampede since 1986:

The Stampede’s roots will be traced to 1886, when the Calgary and District Agricultural Society held its first truthful.